Stackable container having movable support members



April 1968 D. J. ASENBAUER 3,379,339

STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Aug. 1.7, 19655 Sheets-Sheet l I NVEN TOR. 501/440 J Jim 5,40%

A ril 23, 1968 Filed Aug. 1.7, 1965 fl/: 4. 3 m

D. J. ASEN BAUER 3,379,339

STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2April 1 68 D. J. ASENBAUER 3,379,339

STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Aug. l7, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 5 1 WWW;

. INVENTOR. flan 440 iii/V5405? April 23, 1968 o. .1. ASENBAUERSTACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Aug. l7, 1965 mvsmoa 5/1/5405? BY 2 I April 1968 D. J. ASENBAUER3,379,339

STACKABLE CONTAINER HAVING MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBERS Filed Aug. 17, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 5 4Z I, r148 A? {@3 6 4; 45 M i 200 INVENTOR. flaw 4.0 J.4551/5405? Uit ABSTRACT OF THE DISiCLGSURE A unitary molded plasticcontainer having flanged side walls, longitudinally extending slotsformed in both the side walls and flanges near the container ends, apair of metal stacking bails slidingly retained in the slots atrespective ends of the containers, and transverse ribs formed in thebottom wall of the container directly beneath the inner ends of the bailslots and having downwardly opening channels under the ribs so that whenthe stacking bails are in their innermost positions an identicalsuperimposed container may be stacked thereon with the channels of thesuperimposed container being engaged by and supported on the bails ofthe underneath container; while alternatively the bails may be moved totheir outermost positions at the ends of the container for nestingidentical containers with each other.

Background of invention This invention relates generally to containersand has more particular reference to novel stacking and nestingcontainers.

Reuseable containers must be handled in two different conditions, towit, the empty condition and the filled cndition. Optimum utilization ofthe floor space occupied by such containers requires stacking of thecontainers in both their empty and filled conditions. otaclting offilled containers requires suitable stacking surfaces on the top andbottom of each container, whereby the bottom stacking surfaces on eachcontainer in a container stack may rest on the upper stacking surfaceson the adjacent lower container in such a way as to leave unrestrictedthe interior space of each container. The prior art is replete with awide variety of stacking containers of this general type. Many of theseexisting stacking containers, however, are so constructed that they mustbe stacked in the same way when empty. This manner of stacking emptycontainers is undesirable for the reason that the empty interior spacesof the stacked containers represents substantial waste storage space.

For this reason, so called stacking and nesting containers have beendevised. Such stacking and nesting containers are constructed in such away that they may be stacked one on top of the other when filled andnested one inside the other when empty. Nesting of empty containersobviously maximizes the number of containers which may be stored on agiven floor space.

Generally speaking, the existing stacking and nesting containers are oftwo different types. One type has fixed stackin surfaces. The other typehas movable stacking surfaces which may be extended and retracted. Theexisting stacking and nesting containers with fixed stacking surfacesare so constructed that when the adjacent containers in a containerstack are rotated to one relative angular position, the stackingsurfaces on the adjacent containers are vertically aligned to registerin stacking engagement and thereby condition the containers to besupported one on top of the other. When the adjacent containers arerotated to another relative angular position, their stacking surfacesare misaligned to permit the con- States Patent 0 tainers to nest oneinside the other. In some cases, for example, the adjacent containers,when conditioned for stacking, are disposed at right angles to oneanother so that the bottom wal of each container rests on the upperedges of the side walls of the adjacent lower container. This method ofstacking containers is commonly referred to in the rade as crossstacking. Such cross stacking containers are conditioned for nesting byrotating the adjacent containers into alignment, thereby to permit eachcontainer to nest within the adjacent lower container. In other cases,the stacking and nesting containers are turned end for end to conditionthem for stacking and nesting.

The existing containers with fixed stacking surfaces are deficient incertain respects. For example, the fixed stacking surfaces on thesecontainers generally project into the interior space of the containersand thereby reduce the effective interior volume of the containers.Moreover, such inwardly projecting stacking surfaces render difficultthe task of placing articles in and removing articles from thecontainers. Another disadvantage of the existing stacking and nestingcontainers with fixed stacking surfaces resides in the fact that thetaper of the container walls, which is necessary to permit nesting ofthe containers, increases the inward projection of the stacking surfacesrequired for proper supporting engagement of the lower stacking surfaceson each container in a container stack with the upper stacking surfaceson the adjacent lower container in the stack. This further reduces theefifective interior volume of the containers and increases thedilficulty of placing articles in and removing the articles from thecontainers.

The foregoing and other deficiencies of the existing stacking andnesting containers with fixed stacking surfaces are cured, to someextent, by the stacking and nesting containers with movable stackingsurfaces. Thus, these latter containers are equipped with stackingmembers or supports which may be extended to permit stacking of thecontainers one on top of the other and retracted to permit thecontainers to nest one inside the other. The existing containers withsuch retractable stacking supports, however, are in themselves deficientfor several reasons. The existing containers, for example, are costly tomanufacture and, in most cases, involve rather complicated manufacturingoperations in connection with fabrication and assembly of the stackingsupports. Moreover, the retractable stacking supports in some of theexisting containers, when retracted, increase the overall external sizeof the containers. Also, tle stacking supports on these containers tendto be quite complicated in construction and difiicult to manipulatebetween their extended and retracted positions. By way of example, inone of the prior stacking and nesting containers of which I am aware,the ends of the stacking supports are contained in slots in thecontainer body that are curved to aid in retaining the supports in theirextended positions. In another prior container, the body slots whichreceive the ends of the stacking supports are notched to retain thesupports in their extended and retracted positions. Such curved andnotched slots are diflicult and costly to machine and impede extensionand retraction of the supports. Moreover, in some cases, the slots arerequired to be reinforced by metal liners which further complicate andadd to the cost of the containers. In yet another prior stacking andnesting container of which I am aware, the stacking supports areretracted by rotating them to positions outboard of the ends of thecontainer body. These latter supports when retracted, therefore,increase the overall length of the container. Moreover, the latterstacking supports tend to be unstable when extended for the reason thatthe central container engaging portions of the supports are locatedabove the ends of the supports which engage in slots in the containerbody.

Efficient and safe stacking of containers presents certain reqiurementswhich the existing stacking and nesting containers heretofore discusseddo not fully sa isfy, at least not in the most etficient manner. Thus,stacking containers must be capable of supponing substantial stackingloads and, yet must be sufficiently light to be easily handled andsufficiently simple in construction as to be capable of manufacture atlow cost. From this standpoint, for example, it is desirable that eachelement of a stacking and nesting container serve as many func t-ions aspossible in order to minimize the number of separate elements which mustbe embodied in the container. 'In most of the stacking and nestingcontainers of which I am aware, however, the stacking means of thecontainers are utilized only for stacking purposes and do notcontribute, at least to any material extent, to the load supportingcapability of the containers. This is particularly true, for example, ofthe existing stacking and nesting containers with retractable stackingsupports. As a consequence, the main body of the existing containersmust be sufiiciently strong, in and of themselves, to support therequired stacking loads. This results in container bodies which arerelatively massive and ditficult to handle, even when empty.

A further prerequisite to efiicient and safe stacking of containers isthe capability of interlocking the adjacent containers in a stackagainst relative shifting, both in their lateral and endwise directions.Some of the existing stacking and nesting containers are not designed toprovide such effective interlocking of adjacent stacked containers.Those existing containers which are so designed tend to be quite complexin construction, bulky in size, and difficult to properly stack one ontop of the other.

In actual practice, it is sometimes desirable to stack containers one ontop of the other in the normal fashion, that is in such a way that thelongitudinal axes of all of the stacked containers are parallel. Inother cases, it is desirable to cross stack the containers in the mannermentioned earlier. The existing stacking and nesting containers of whichI am aware, while they may conceivably be stacked in both of these ways,are not specitically designed for this purpose. Accordingly, suchcontainers can be efficiently and safely stacked only in the one way forwhich they are designed.

It is evident at this point, therefore, that a definite need exists forimproved stacking and nesting containers of the general characterdescribed.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide suchimproved stacking and nesting containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved stacking andnesting containers which are relatively simple in construction,economical to manufacture, light weight, easy to stack and nest, andutilize a one piece plastic body that is adapted for fabrication by arelatively low cost vacuum molding process.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved stacking andnesting containers having retractable stacking supports which arecompact, simple and economical to fabricate and install, easy tomanipulate between their extended and retracted positions, and arecontained within the confines of the container bodies when retracted soas to not increase the overall external size of the containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved stacking andnesting containers wherein the reractable stacking supports are uniquelyconstructed and arranged to reinforce the side walls of the containerbodies against lateral deflection under stacking loads.

A still further object of the invention is to provide stacking andnesting containers which may be stacked with other like containers toprovide a container stack wherein the longitudinal axes of all thecontainers are parallel, and which containers may also be cross stackedwith other like containers to provide a container stack 4 wherein thelongitudinal axes of adjacent containers extend at right angles to oneanother.

A related object of the invention is to provide improved stacking andnesting containers wherein the adjacent containers in a container stackare interlocked in such a way as to positively restrain the adjacentcontainers against relative lateral and endwise movement.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will becomereadily evident as the description proceeds.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of theinvention, whereby the objects contemplated are attained; as hereinafterset forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved stack.- ing and nestingcontainer according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section taken through two containers disposedin nested relation and illustrating, in broken lines, the manner inwhich the stacking members of the containers may be quickly and easilyretracted during the nesting procedure;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken on line 66 in FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal section through two containers disposed instacking relation;

FIGURE 8 is a section taken on line 8-43 in FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE l0 is an enlarged perspective view of one end of one of theretractable stacking members embodied in the container of FIGURES 1through 9;

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which severalof the containers may be cross stacked;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a modifiedstacking and nesting container according to the invention;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through threecontainers of the type shown in FIG- URE 12 and illustrating the twolower containers in nesting relation and the two upper containers instacking relation;

FIGURE 14 is a section taken on line 1414 in FIG- URE 13;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged section taken on line 15-45 in FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a furthermodified stacking and nesting container according to the invention;

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through two containersof the type shown in FIGURE 16 and illustrating the containers innesting relation;

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged section taken on line Iii-13 in FIGURE 17;

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a stillfurther modified stacking and nesting container according to theinvention;

FIGURE 20 is a longitudinal section taken through two containers of thetype shown in FIGURE 19 and.

illustrating the containers in nesting relation;

FIGURE 21 is an enlarged section taken on line 21-21. in FIGURE 20.

The stacking and nesting container 10 illustrated in FIGURES 1 through11 of these drawings comprises a rectangular container body 12 includinga bottom wall 14 bounded by upstanding, upwardly divergent side and endwalls 16 and 18, respectively. The upper edge portions of the side andend walls are turned outwardly and then downwardly to form upwardlydirected lips 20 along the upper edges of these walls and downwardlydirected flanges 22 along the outer edges of the lips. The severalflanges and lips are joined at the corners of the container body todefine a rim 24 about the open top of the body. The bottom wall 14 ofthe container body 12 has a pair of raised reinforcing rib formations 26adjacent the end walls 18, respectively, and extending generally normalto the side walls 16. These rib formations define downwardly openingchannels 28 in the underside of the bottom wall. In the region betweenthe rib formations 26, the bottom wall is upwardly arched for strength,as shown in FIGURE 3. The side walls 16 of the container body havegenerally vertical reinforcing rib formations 39 and 32. Rib formations32 rise from the outer ends of the bottom wall rib formations 26,respectively, and define laterally opening channels 34 in the outersurfaces of the side walls. The lower ends of the side wall channels 34open to the outer ends of the bottom wall channels 28.

The container rim 24 has elevated portions 24a along the upper edges ofthe side walls 16, adjacent end walls 18, respectively. Extendingthrough these elevated portions of the rim are slots 36 which aredisposed in a common plane parallel to the bottom wall of the container.As best shown in FIGURE 9, each elevated rim portion 24:: has a pair ofaligned slots 36 which extend through the inner side wall and outerflange of the respective elevated rim portion. The two elevated portionsof the rim along each container side wall 16 define therebetween anupwardly opening recess 38.

The side wall recesses 38 are laterally aligned and have a lengthsubstantially equal to or slightly greater than the width of the bottomwall 14 of the container, measured between the ends of the bottom wallchannels 28. The center distance between these bottom wall channels issubstantially equal to the distance between the upper edges of thecontainer side walls 16, measured between the recessed portions 38thereof.

At this point, it is evident that a number of the containers 10 may becross stacked in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 11. When thus crossstacking the containers, each container is disposed at right angles toits adjacent upper and lower containers, and the alternate containersare aligned. Each container rests on the side walls of the adjacentlower container, within the side wall recesses 38 of the lattercontainer, and the upper edges of the side walls of each container,within these recesses, engage the bottom wall 14 of the adjacent uppercontainer within the bottom wall channels 28 of the latter container.Accordingly, the several stacked containers are interlocked againstrelative endwise and lateral movement. Thus, each container isrestrained against endwise movement relative to the adjacent lowercontainer by the interengaging side walls and bottom wall channels ofthese containers. Each container is restrained against lateral movementrelative to the adjacent lower container by the upstanding ends 40 of.the recesses 38 in the latter container.

The present container 13 is also adapted to be stacked in the usual way,that is stacked in such a way that the longitudinal axes of all of thestacked containers are parallel, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. To thisend, a container It? is equipped with retractable stacking supports 52,or stacking bails as they will be hereinafter referred to. Each stackingbail comprises a flat metal bar 44, the ends of which extend slidablythrough the pairs of aligned slots in the elevated portions 24a of thecontainer rim 24. Press fitted in the outboard ends of each bail bar 44are pins 45 which restrain the stacking bails against endwise movement.Preferably, these pins are located between the side walls 15 and rimflanges 22 so as to be obscured from view by the container rim 2.4.These pins are removable to permit replacement of the bails should thelatter become bent or otherwise damaged. Fixed to and rising from theupper surface of the bar 44 of each stacking bail are lugs 48 havinginner confronting shoulder surfaces 50. The spacing betweentheseshoulder surfaces is substantially equal to or slightly greaterthan the width of the container body 12 measured between the outersurfaces of the side wall channels 34, adjacent the lower ends of thesechannels. The shoulder surfaces diverge upwardly, as shown at the sameangle as the outer surfaces of the side wall channels. As will appearpresently, the bail lugs 48 serve the dual function of locating andreinforcing the adjacent upper container when a number of the containersare stacked one on top of the other. In the particular containerillustrated, the lugs 48 comprise bent rods of generally invertedU-shape which are welded to the bail bars 44.

The stacking bails 42 are laterally movable endwise of the containerbody 12, between the extended stacking positions shown in FIGURE 7,wherein the bails are located adjacent the inner ends of the bail slots36, and the retracted nesting positions shown in FIGURE 2, wherein thebails are located adjacent the outer ends of the bail slots. In theirextended positions, the stacking bails are situated directly over theadjacent bottom wall channels 28 of the container body 12. In theirretracted positions, the stacking bails are situated over the end walllips 20.

It is now evident that the container It), in addition to having thecapability of being cross stacked with other like containers, in themanner shown in FIGURE 11, can be stacked in the more conventional wayillustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. When the containers are stacked in thislatter way, the stacking bails 42 on each container are extended andeach container in the stack rests on the stacking bails of the adjacentlower container. The interior space of each container is thus in no wayrestricted by the adjacent upper container. Moreover, the bars 44 of thestacking bails on each container engage the bottom wall 14 of theadjacent upper container within the bottom wall channels 28 of thelatter container. The adjacent containers are thereby restrained againstrelative endwise movement. The upstanding lugs 43 on the stacking bailsof each container straddle the bottom of the adjacent upper container,within the side wall channels 34 of the latter container, and therebyrestrain the adjacent containers against relative lateral movement.

At this point, it is evident that the stacking bails 42 on the presentcontainer 1%, when extended, permit a number of the containers to bestacked one on top of the other. The stacking bails and bottom wallchannels 28 of adjacent containers serve to interlock the adjacentcontainers against relative lateral and endwise movement. It issignificant to note that the bails, when in stacking position, arevertically aligned with the reinforcing rib formations 32 on thecontainer side walls 16. These rib formations assist in transferring thestacking loads from one container to the next without bending of theside walls. Another unique feature of the container resides in the factthat the transverse end walls 40 of the upper container recesses 38resist pinching together and spreading of side wall and rim flangeportions underlying the bail slots 36 when stacking loads are imposed onthe stacking bails 42, thereby assuring more efiective and uniformtransfer of the stacking loads from the bails to the container rim.

The lugs 43 on the stacking bails 42 serve a highly important functionin addition to the above discussed function of interlocking adjacentstacked containers against relative lateral movement. Thus, the lugs oneach container in a container stack straddle the sides of the adjacentupper container in such a way as to reinforce the lower edge portions ofthe side walls 16 of the latter container against outward deflectionunder the vertical stacking loads imposed on the containers. In thisconnection, it will be recalled that the inner shoulder surfaces 50 ofthe bail lugs 48 are spaced and inclined to engage the outer side wallsurfaces of the adjacent upper container when a number of the containersare stacked one on top of the other. The upper edge portions of the sidewalls 16 of each container are restrained against outward deflection bythe pins 46 in the outboard ends of its respective stacking bails 42.Thus, the side walls of each container are effectively reinforced by thestacking bails, against lateral deflection under the stacking loadsimposed on the containers. As a consequence of this reinforcing actionof the stacking bails, the container body 12 is permitted to have alighter weight construction than would be possible in the abscence ofsuch a reinforcing action. Moreover, the container body m-ay be made oflight weight material and by relatively simple manufacturing operations.The body of the illustrated container, for example, may be convenientlyfabricated from plastic by a relatively low cost vacuum mouldingprocess. The illustrated container 10, therefore, is relatively lightweight and thus easy to handle, particularly in its empty condition.

It is significant to note that the ends of each stacking ball 42 extendthrough slots in, and are thereby supported both by the side walls 15and rim flanges 22 of the container body 12. Accordingly, the stackingloads imposed on the bails are more effectively and uniformlytransferred to the body rim 24 and through the rim to the walls of thebody. Moreover, this dual slot arrangement provides increased surfacearea contact between the stacking bails and the body 12, therebyeliminating the necessity of fitting reinforcing liners in the bailslots and permitting the body to be molded in one integral piece.

Thus far, the discussion has related only to the stacking capability ofthe illustrated container 10. This capability of the container isimportant when the latter is filled, since then the interior space ofthe container must be left unrestricted by the adjacent upper containerin a container stack. As noted earlier, the container is also designedfor nesting engagement with other like containers when empty. Thecontainer is conditioned for such nesting by moving the stacking bails42 to the outer retracted positions of FIGURES 5 and 6. In theseretracted positions, the bails are situated over the end wall lips andare thus disposed to permit a number of containers to be nested onewithin the other, in the manner shown. The lugs 48 on the stacking bailsare vertically dimensioned so that the end wall lips 26 on each nestedcontainer rest on the bail lugs of the adjacent lower container, asillustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. In this nested relation, the side andend walls 16 and 18 of adjacent containers are slightly spaced so as tofacilitate separation of the containers.

The lugs 48 on the stacking bails 42 also facilitate movement of thebails between their extended and retracted positions when stacking andnesting a number of the containers 10. Thus, when stacking, as well aswhen nesting, the containers, the stacking bails on each container maybe shifted to their extended or retracted positions, as the case may be,by engaging the bail lugs on each container by the ends of the adjacentupper container as the latter is being placed in position on thecontainer stack, as illustrated in phantom lines in FIG- URE 5.

The modified stacking and nesting container 100 illustrated in FIGURES12 through 15 comprises a container body 12 which is identical to thatof the container 10 described above. The stacking bails 192 of thecontainer ltltl each comprise a metal rod 104 which is bent to defin astraight central section 106, offset coaxial ends 108, and interveninginclined connecting sections iii). The ends 108 of each bail rod extendthrough the slots in the adjacent elevated portions 24a of the containerrim 24. Generally semi-spherical heads 112 are welded or forged on theoutboard ends of each bail rod to restrain the latter against endwisemovement. The heads 112 may be secured to or forged on the bail rods 104prior to assembly of the latter in the container body 12. In this event,the heads and the bail rods are forced through the bail slots 36 in thecontainer body by spreading these slots. The central sections 106 of thebail rods 104 parallcl the bottom wall 14 of the container body 12 andhave a length equal to or slightly greater than the width of the bottomwall, measured between the ends of the bottom wall channels 23.

When stacking a number of the containers 101) with the aid of thestacking 'bails 102, the latter are extended to the inner ends of thebail slots 36. Each container is placed on the stack in such a way thatthe container rests on the stacking balls of the adjacent lowercontainer, between the inclined bail sections 110, and the centralsections 106 of the bails on each container engage the bottom wall 14 ofthe adjacent upper container within the bottom wall channels 23 of thelatter container. The bails and bottom wall channels of adjacentcontainers thus co-act to restrain the adjacent containers againstrelative endwise movement. The inclined sections 104 of the stackingbails of each container straddle the bottom of the adjacent uppercontainer and define shoulders for restraining the adjacent containersagainst relative lateral movement.

When a number of the containers are to be nested, the stacking bails 102on the containers are moved to their outer retracted positions of FIGURE13, wherein the bails are located adjacent the outer ends of the bailslots 36 and the central sections 106 of the bails rest on the end walllips 20. In these retracted positions, the stacking bails are disposedto permit the containers 100 to nest one inside of the other, as shown.In the modified container under consideration, telescoping of thenesting containers is limited by engagement of the side and end walls ofadjacent containers.

FIGURES 16 to 18 and FIGURES 19 to 21 illustrate further modifiedcontainers 200 and 300 respectively, which are substantially identicalto the containers 10 and 100,. respectively, described earlier. Thecontainers 200 and 300 differ from the earlier containers in that thebodies 12 of the containers 2G0 and 300 have elevated rim sections 24bwhich extend along the upper edges of the container end walls 18 andintegrally join the elevated rim sections 24a containing the bail slots36. The container 2% is otherwis identical to the container 10 and thecontainer 300 is otherwise identical to the container 200. It isevident, therefore, that the container 200 may be stacked and nestedwith other like containers in the same manner as the container 10, andthe container 301) may be stacked and nested with other like containersin the same manner as the container 100. It is further evident that eachof the containers 100, 200 and 380 may be cross stacked in the same wayas described earlier in connection with the container 10.

It is now apparent, therefore, that the invention herein described andillustrated is fully capable of attaining the several objects andadvantages preliminarily set forth.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support ofLetters Patent is:

I claim:

1. A stacking and nesting container comprising:

a one-piece molded plastic container body having a bottom wall boundedby upstanding, upwardly divergent side and end walls and an upperreinforcing rim including outwardly directed lips along and integrallyjoined to the upper edges of said side walls and depending flanges alongand integrally joined to the outer edges of said lips;

said side walls having slots in their upper edge portions adjacent saidend walls and said flanges having slots aligned with said side wallslots, each side wall slot and its aligned flange slot constituting aslot pair;

said slots extending endwise of said body whereby said slots have outerends proximate to said end walls, respectively, and opposite inner ends;and

a pair of stacking bails extending between the upper edge portions ofsaid side walls adjacent said end walls and the ends of each bailextending slidably through the adjacent slot pairs, whereby each bail ismovable endwise of said body between an inner stacking position adjacentthe inner ends of the respective slots and an outer nesting positionadjacent the outer ends of the respective slots;

each of said bails having a pair of containers locating shoulders formedthereon, which are located adjacent to but inwardly of said side walls,said shoulders rising above the central section of the respective bailin the stacking position thereof, the spacing between said shoulders ofeach bail being greater than the bottom width of said container body,said locating shoulders on each bail diverging at substantially the sameangle as said side walls whereby said shoulders are adapted to engageand support the side walls of another identical container which isstackably superimposed on said bails.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said slots are disposedsubstantially in a common plane parallel to said bototm wall and have aveitical width slightly greater than the thickness of said stackingbails, whereby said slots locate said bails substantially in a commonplane parallel to said bottom wall.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 which includes keepers attached tothe outboard ends or" said bails, external to said side walls, forlimiting outward deflection of the upper edge portions of said sideWalls and at the same time restraining said bails against endwisemovement.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said bails consistsof a flat bar, said shoulders being sw cured to and rising upwardly fromthe upper flat surface of the bar.

5. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said stacking bailsis a round rod, said rod being bent to define a straight centralsection, offset coaxial ends, and a pair of intervening inclinedconnecting sections, said connecting sections forming said shoulders.

6. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said side walls haveelevated upper edge portions adjacent said end walls and depressed upporedge portions in the longitudinal center of said container, said slotsbeing in said elevated upper edge portions, said depressed upper edgeportions having a length approximately equal to the bottom width of saidbody, whereby said container is adapted to be cross-stacked with otherlike containers.

7. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall has a pairof upstanding reinforcing rib formations extending generally normal tosaid side walls and defining downwardly opening channels in theunderside of said bottom wall, whereby when said bails occupy saidstacking positions said container is adapted to be stacked with otherlike containers to form a container stack wherein the bails on eachcontainer occupy the bottom wall channels of the immediatelysuperimposed container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,026,204 12/ 1935 Andrews 220-972,029,746 2/ 1936 Tufts 220-97 3,027,045 3/ 1962 Wilson 220-97 FOREIGNPATENTS 820,036 7/ 1937 France. 1,131,652 1/1957 France. 1,164,91110/1958 France. 1,177,039 4/ 1959 France. 1,241,114 8/1960 France.1,311,241 10/1962 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner.

